Our Nature Day Camp had seven week-long nature immersion camps for students ages 6-11 from June 16th through August 1st, and it was fantastic and fun!

Photos below highlight service learning, activities, and games, storytelling, hiking, adventures with goats, collecting chicken eggs, studying turtles and birds, making crafts, performing garden tasks, and so much more.

A special Thank You to all who donated to our Sponsor A Camper appeal.

On the last Sunday in June, a group of participants joined Elisa Friedlander, LMFT, Founder of Ink To Insight, LLC, for a peaceful afternoon of exploring the art of observation, reflection, and expression, through guided prompts and quiet time in nature.

Elisa was wonderful to work with, and we are excited to plan more workshops with her in the near future!

Elisa Friedlander, LMFT, founder of Ink To Insight, LLC. www.inktoinsight.com  

On a warm night in July, 30 people joined The CREST’s Community Engagement Coordinator, Madi Ross, PPRV’s Educator Ethan Robison, and OSU Lepidopterist Dana Ross (who has been sampling and studying PNW moths at OSU for the past 30 years), to celebrate Willow-Witt’s abundant MOTH LIFE. 

The evening featured a bring-your-own picnic at The CREST’s Willow-Witt Ranch Campground, lectures on moths, a moth costume event, art and craft activities for all ages, and culminated congregating around backlit sheets suspended in the forest to attract dozens and dozens of moths.

Dana, Ethan, and others did their best to identify moths, beetles, and flies, as they flickered by and settled onto the sheets.

Did you know… MOTHS ARE: At least 10 times as species-rich a group as butterflies. Thus, if you have 100 species of butterflies in a given area you can expect 1,000 species of moths to also be present.  Most moths are nocturnal (perhaps 5-8% are diurnal) and most are drawn to nectar on flowers (= they pollinate) … between dusk and dawn contributing nocturnal pollination as an ecosystem service. Some moths, however, are primarily fruit feeders while others do not feed as adults (e.g. giant silk moths of the family Saturniidae). Moth species-richness generally parallels that of plants. As such, moth assemblages vary between each plant community. Many moths are specialists on 1 or a few plant species/related genera which can lead to endemism in specialized environments (e.g. serpentine soils, sky islands). 

Join the Friends by appreciating the diversity of grasshoppers in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument! Led by Joe Baures and Dr. Jacob Youngblood. This two-day event is part of the Friends’ Hike and Learn series.

We will discuss grasshopper identification, how environmental differences affect grasshoppers, and will highlight some of the endemic species that can be found in the region. During the Saturday excursion we will lunch at Willow-Witt Ranch.

Friday Night Talk – August 8th, 6:00 – 7:30 PM 
Saturday Excursion – August 9th, 9:00 – 3:00 PM

Learn more about Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument.

As the summer activities wind down at Willow-Witt Ranch, we’re looking for passionate individuals to lend a hand! Whether you’re interested in helping with our garden preparations, assisting with community events, supporting our educational programs, lending a hand in the outdoor school cookhouse, or helping with administrative tasks, we’d love to have you spend time on the land!

Volunteers play a crucial role in making our events and programs a success, and your time and energy help us create meaningful experiences for the community. No matter your capacity, every bit of support is appreciated! If you are interested, please send us a note on our website using the button below.